Portland's Foothill Fuels among Popular Science top recreation innovators
Courtesy / Foothill Fuels
Foothills Fuels Bio-White Gas has been named a top 10 recreational innovation of 2019 by Popular Science.
Portland-based Foothill Fuels' Bio-White Gas has been named one of the "10 Most Thrilling Recreation Innovations of 2019" by Popular Science magazine.
The business is co-owned by Brian Kennedy and Scott Eaton, who developed Bio-White Gas, a low-carbon, renewable fuel for use in camping and backcountry travel.
"Making dinner in the backcountry usually means cooking over white gas made from petroleum," Popular Science says in its post. "Foothill Fuels developed a greener, renewable alternative: Bio-White Gas. The company collects veggie oil from restaurants and farms, and refines it into a fuel that works in any stove. Using old french fry grease generates half the greenhouse gases of converting dino juice, and the eco-friendlier fuel burns just like the traditional stuff."
Kennedy told Mainebiz the fuel "is no-compromise replacement for the camping fuel petroleum white gas."
He said that it's meant to be used in outdoor cold-weather settings "winter camping and mountaineering, expeditionary applications, large groups and outdoor users who care about fuel efficiency, weight/fuel ratio and trail waste."
Maine innovation story
The story behind the product is Maine-driven, he says, "and pretty cool."
He and Eaton have been developing the product since 2016, including field testing supported by the Maine Technology Institute and the Libra Foundation.
"This product would not have been possible without the support, expertise and openness of the Maine outdoors, science and startup community," he said. "We worked with everybody from Unity College and Acadia Mountain Guides, to UMaine and Maine Maritime Academy, to MTI and the Libra Foundation."
Snews, an outdoors recreation and travel site, earlier this year named Bio White Gas the "coolest find of the day" at Outdoor Retailer Sports Expo & Conference this summer. Foothill Fuels was there with Maine Outdoor Brands, a 50-plus member group that supports and markets Maine's outdoor recreation industry and the companies behind it. Kennedy said the support of the organization has been critical to the product's succes.
Foothill Fuels began direct sales to bulk buyers this summer, shipping directly to them. Current customers include Outward Bound, National Outdoor Leadership School and Chewonki. The company is hoping to launch retail sales by the spring.
Kennedy said a trial retail run at Outdoor Gear Exchange in Burlington, Vt., and Alpenglow Adventure Sports on Mount Desert Island has been successful. The company is also shipping samples this winter to anyone who wants to try it out.
Other products making the top 10 in Popular Science's list of recreation innovations include the Fenix 6x Pro Solar Edition watch by Garmin, which has a large development facility in Yarmouth.
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